Process of softening paper.



T. SCHERF.

PROCESS OF SOFTENING PAPER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.6, I912- 1,1 96,888. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I- TQSCHERF. PROCESS OF SOFTENING PAPER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.6. 1912.

1,1 96,888. Patented Sept. 5,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. SCHERF. PROCESS OF SOFTENING PAPER. APPLICATION FILED AUG-6. 1912.

Patented se t. 5,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wyn/$256555 tute for cotton in THEODORE SCHEBF, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PROCESS OF SOFTENINGPAPER.

, Application filed August 6,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEODORE SOHERF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Softening Paper, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates 'to machines for softening paper, whereby it is rendered pliable and non-rattling and is adaptable for special purposes in the arts, such as making. paper blankets, towels, napkins, as a substithe manufacture of shoes, and generally wherever such a product is desirable.

In my Patents No. 860,696 issued July 23, 1907, and No. 873,169 issued Dec. 2, 1907 and No. 905,465 issued Dec. 1, 1908, there are shown, described and claimed certain machines for softening paper, the softening being accomplished by separating the layers from each other in places and thereafter folding or creasing the loosened part so as to render the sheets more highly flexible. According to my process, I produce a different paper from that produced by the machines disclosed in my former patent. The feature which characterized the paper produced by my former process was the separation of the layers at different points 'soft so as to be and the folding, crimping, or creasing of the layers at different points, the folds or creases in different layers seldom or never registering with each other, the individual fibers being but little disturbed. I The paper produced by my new process is characterized by the fact that the separate fibers are rendered limber and flexible by the crump'ling of the paper as a whole, the sizing being meanwhile stretched so that the whole paper is rendered more mellow than before sons to enable it to be folded and handled more like cloth and without the disagreeable rumpling or rattling usually characteristic of paper. It is obvious that for use as a substitute for blankets, paper must be rendered sufliciently noiseless, while for use as towels, napkins, and the like, it must be rendered soft so. as not to irritate the skin. It is the general objectof this invention to produce a machine wherein the softening maybe accomplished without the liability Specification of Letters Patent.

1912. Serial No. 713,559.

out the employment of very dry or bone dry paper, with the consequent disadvantages set forth hereinbefore.

A further object of the invention is to produce a machine wherein paper in a condition other than completely dry (enabling the sizing to stretch instead of break) may be softened by a single operation of the machine.

A still further object is to produce a new and useful process for softening'paper, as will be hereinafter set forth wherein the strength of the paper will not be impaired.

In softening paper the machine illustrated herein, the paper, preferably in a condition other than completely dry, is formed into a plurality of folds extending in the direction of the fibers, the folded sheet is compacted and is subjected to the action of means (such as ribbed rollers) acting upon the ridges 'of the folds to compress separated portions of such folds; the sheet is then folded and compressed at right angles to the former folds, the foldsare removed, and the sheet is spread out to full width, and reeled up for use. I

In the drawings forming part hereof, Figure 1 represents a plan view of the paper-softening machine; Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a vertical'longitudinal sectional view thereof; Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of the rolls that. operate upon the ridges of the folds; view of a piece of paper softened by my machine and process; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are tranverse sectional views ofthe paper web after passing through the first, second, and third sets of folding and contracting rolls, respectively; Fig. 9 an enlarged detail in end elevation of the web after having passed through the funnel at the rear of said rolls; Fig. of the web after the action of the crimping rolls; and Fig. 11 a sectional detail of the folding box.

Describing by reference characters the va rious parts illustrated herein, 1 and 2 denote the end standards of two side-frames. These end standards are connected at their upperends by a longitudinal sill 3'and each sill carries at its upper end a side plate 4t. Forming plates 5 and 5 connect the adjacent ends of the side plates. All of the foregoing Patented Sept. 5, 1916- l ig. 5 a perspective 10 a detail in side elevation having been subjected to;

at length,

by my process and by.

parts may and preferably will be of cast metal and are designed to support the various parts of the machine proper, which will now be described :6 denotes a pulley, driven from any suitable source of power and mounted on a shaft 7 journaled in the sills 3. This shaft is provided with a gear 8 at one end meshing with and driving a gear 9 on a shaft 10, supported by the sills 3 and extending parallel to the shaft 7. On the end of the shaft 7 which is opposite the pulley 6, a bevel gear 11 is provided, which gear meshes with a similar bevel gear 12 on 7 plates 4.

a longitudinal shaft 13 supported from one of the sills 3, as by journals 14. The shaft 13 is provided with bevelgears 15 and 16, the former meshing-with a bevel gear 17 on one end of a shaft 18 having a spur gear 19 at its opposite end meshing with a spur gear 20 on a shaft 21, the shafts 18 and 21 being supported by the sills 3. The shafts 7, 10, 18 and .21 carry rolls 22, 23, 24 and 25, respectively, for feeding the paper sheet or web through the machine. The standards 1 are provided each with an open-top seat 26, formed in a bracket 27 for the shaft 28 of a paper supply roll 29.

The bevel gear 16 meshes with a similar gear 30 on a vertical counter-shaft 31, having at its upper end a bevel gear 32 meshing with a similar gear 33 on a horizontal shaft 34, the shafts 31 and 34 being supported in journals 35 and 36, respectively, projecting from one of the side plates 4.

The shaft 34 is provided at its opposite ends with bevel gears 37 and 38, the former meshing with a similar gear 39 on a shaft 40 supported in journals 41 carried by the The shaft 40 carries a roller 42 having longitudinal ribs 43 thereon and has, at the end opposite the gear 39, a spur gear 44 adapted to mesh with a similar gear 45 (shown in dotted lines on Fig. 2) mounted on a shaft 46, extending parallel with the shaft 40 and carrying a roll 47 provided with ribs 48 similar to and cooperating with the ribs 43 on the roll 42.

The bevel gear 38 meshes with a similar gear 49 on a shaft'50,said shaft being pro-,

vided with a roll 51 having'spaced ribs 52 circumferentially extending therearound. A similar roll 53 having similar ribs 54 is mounted on a shaft 55, located beneath the shaft 50, said shafts being conveniently journaled in the side plates 4. The bevel gear 49 alsomeshes with a bevel gear 56 on a shaft 57 which is shown as supported by journals 58 projecting from one of the side plates 4. On this shaft is a bevel gear 59 which meshes with a similar gear 60 on a shaft 61 supported by the side plates 4 and extending parallel with the shaft 50. The shaft 61 has a roll 62 provided with ribs 63 similar to the ribs 52 -on the roll 51, but spaced somewhat farther apart. Beneath the shaft 61 is a shaft 64 supported simi larly to the former shaft and having a similar roll 65 provided with similar coiiperating ribs 66.

Another bevel gear 67 on the shaft 57 meshes with a bevel gear 68 on a shaft 69, also journaled in the side plates 4 and extending parallel with the shafts 50 and 61. The shaft 69 is provided with a roll 7 O having ribs 71 thereon similar to the ribs 52 and 63 on the rolls 51 and 62, but spaced farther apart. Beneath the shaft 69 is a shaft 72, which may be supported by brackets 73 rising from a cross member carried by the side plates 4. The shaft 72 is provided with a roll 74 having ribs 75 similar to and cooperating with the ribs 71 on the roll 70.

For convenience of description, the end of the machine which carries the suppley roll 29 and the feed rolls 24, 25 will be called the front and the opposite end the rear of the machine.

It will be observed that'the front forming plate 5 extends upwardly and rearwardly from a point between the feed rolls 24, 25 and. has a convex rib or ridge 76 at its upper extremity, the convexity of the rib or ridge corresponding substantially to the bulge naturally assumed by the paper when bent at the angle indicated and brought to a 95 point at the bite of the rolls 42 and 47. From the rib 76 the front forming plate is directed rearwardly toward the space between the rolls and 74, as indicated at 77.

Behind the rolls 51 and 53 there islocated a substantially horizontally arranged funnel or compacting device, said funnel or compacting device comprising a bottom plate 78, which may be conveniently carried by cross bars 79 extending between the side 105 plates 4, and a top plate 80 detachably secured to the cross bars, as by bolts 81 and thumb screws 82. It will be noted that the top plate is spaced from the bottom plate and that thesides of the funnel converge 110 toward the center of the space between the rolls 42 and 47.

At the rear of the rolls 42 and 47 is located a folding box which may be conveniently formed from a base plate 83, supported by cross bars 84 carried by the side plates or frames 4, and a cover plate 85, which is vertically spaced from the base plate by a pair of shallow side walls and held in place by a screw 86 which is threaded through a cross bar 87 above the plate 85 and bears at its lower end against said plate. The rear end of the folding or compressing box is closed by means of a block 88 carried by a yoke, the front ends of the arms 89 of which are journaled on the shaft 40, as shown at 90. For the purpose of removing the block 88 from the rear-end of the box, the shaft 46 s provided with a cam projection 91 which is adapted to engage an arm 92 projecting o downwardly from the yoke, thereby to rock pear that the central portion the yoke on its journals on the shaft 40 (shown by the dotted once during each revolution of the shaft 46. ed, the At the rear of the block 88 and interposed web an between the same and the rear forming plate portion 5*- is a roller 93 which is carried by a yoke, portion the arms 94 whereof are journaled on the 7 0, 74, the paper passes 65, which also act upon per and, by r loser than the ribs b in the ma shaft 40, as shown at 95.

The rear forming plate extends upwardly the pa 10 and forwardly from a point between the 63,660

feed'rollers 22, 23 and is bent to form a conwidth of the we vex rib or ridge 96 at its upper extremity, Fig. 7. Finally, similar to the rib or ridge 76 on the front between the rolls 51, 53 end plate 5. J ournaled in the rear standed to the still more closely ards 2 is a shaft 97 for winding up the thereof, the convexity is paper passing through and softened by the and the web is folded thro machine. It is preferable to mount this extent. It will shaft in a manner that will permit of its ,tions of the rollers a withdrawal lengthwise of the receiving roll, same extent. when it is desired to remove such roll from passes into th the machine, and at the same time it is necesand is there co sary to provide convenient means for rotatin Fig. 9. It then p p 47, where it is sub the shaft 97, therefore, may be journaled 1n the ribs 43, 48, which co any suitable manner in one of the standthe folds, as shown at E ards 2, while 'the opposite end is supported thus treated passes into in a short tubular shaft 97 journaled in the where it is folded standard 2 and bracket 2 and to which it compacted agai may be locked by a pin 97". This tubular fined within the shaft 79 is provided with an approved type each revolution of the of friction device indicated generally at 98 temporarily removed and consisting of a plate 98 which isfixed bo'xl allowing a quan upon the tubular shaft 97 8 adjacent to the under the weight of the ro standard 2, a similar plate 98 which is to compensatef splined to the tubular shaft 97*, a sprocket of the block 88. 99 interposed between said plates and the feed rollers mounted loosely upon the tubular shaft, a ridge 96, where spring alongside the plate 98 and a hand and is finally wheel 98? which is threaded upon the tubular roll 97 shaft near its outer end for the purpose of. By the adjusting the pressure of the spring to vary forth and des the amount of friction between the plates along the 98 98 and the sprocket 99. The sprocket subjected 99 is driven by a chain 100 passing thereright angl around'and around the sprocket 101 on the applying shaft 7. Through this friction device I comare not bro pensate for the continually increasing diare they separated ameter of the receiving roll 97. sizing between the With the parts arranged as described, the of relative moveme operation will be as follows :'The paper siz'ng which exten web A will be fed from the supply roll 29 broken at by the feed rolls 24, 25, over the rib or ridge indentations or 76. This will bulge or expand the central not extend in any d lines of weakness w 5 wardly the edges B thereof, as indicated in but extend'in general an 1 Figs. 1 and 2, thus giving the web a convex tions, whereby the paper but without any lace rather tha oduction' 0 lar to that softe n the hands and one s not been affected by ing the shaft when in position. One end of 42,

portion of the web and contract or draw 1nby shape when viewed from above. From the .oughly, rib or ridge 76 the web passes between'the at one p rolls 70, 74. It will be noted that the bottom being the pr roll is sufficiently short to accommodate the which is simi downwardly projecting lateral edges of the pling i web and that the ribb d portions of these whereof ha rolls operate only in the central portlon of tions through w the web. The ac on of these rolls on the lated character paper is shown in 6, wherein it will apabsence of any folds running (1 hence with the lib of the web (f C) is indicated at be noted th re of substantially lls 51, 53, the paper From the ro e funnel orcontractor 7 8,- mpacted in the manner shown between the rolls the action of mpress the ridges of g. 10. Thepaper the folding box d forth by being the block 88 while conbox. During a brief shaft 46, this bloc or the interm The paper i 22, 23 over the co it is completely smooth wound up on the receiving machine and proces cribed, the pape the fibers an to forces act es to the folds,

forces is such ken to any material from the sizing, fibers is brol efinite directi hich it passed. Th e compress'i definite lines of wea of the paper has been foldnally of the The folded from the central D. From the rolls etween the rolls 62, the central portion of f spacing the ribs 71, 7 5, contract the nner shown in when the paper has passed and been subjectspaced ribs 52, 54 entirely removed ughout its lateral at the ribbed porthe part of k is from the back of the to pass out freely ller 93, which acts ittent movement s then drawn by nvex rib or ed out s herein set folded d, although ing at substantially the manner of that the fibersextent, nor but the en to permit ers while the ds along the fibers is The compressions or the rolls 42, 47 do ons, wheretablished, d unrelated direcis softened thortendency to break the result f a softened paper ed by crumthe strength the operae unrend the kness will be a arent from Fi 5 wherein the wave-- YVhile I have illustrated and described in detail one form of machine whereby paper may be softened and my process realized, I

do not propose thereby to be limited to such details except as they may be positively. included in the claims hereto annexed or such inclusion may be rendered necessary by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The process of softening sized paper consisting in forming longitudinal folds therein, applying pressure to the edges of said folds in a direction substantially parallel to the walls of the folds, whereby said walls and folds are compressed edgewise, and afterward spreading the paper to substantially its original width.

2. The process of softening sized paper consisting in forming the same into a plurality of compacted folds standing side by side, crimping the edges of the folds crosswise thereof, and subsequently spreading the paper to substantially .its original area.

8. The process of softening a web of sized paper consisting in forming lengthwise folds in the web and compacting said folds until their Walls are substantially parallel, applying pressure to opposite edges of said folds, while the folds are so compacted, whereby they are partially broken down or comkles extending in the general direction of I the fibers of the paper, laterally compressing the folded or wrinkled paper to keep the folds or wrinkles in close lateral relation to each other, compressing the ridges of the folds or wrinkles without breaking the fibers, folding or crimping the paper thus treated, and subsequently spreading the paper to substantially normal width, removing the folds or wrinkles therefrom.

5. The process of softening sized paper which consists in producing in a sheet of slightly damp paper folds or wrinkles eX- tending in the general direction of the fibers of the paper, laterally compressing the folded or wrinkled paper to keep the folds or wrinkles in close lateral relation to each other, compressing the ridges of the folds or wrinkles at separated portions thereof without breaking the fibers, folding or crimping the paper thus treated, and subsequently spreading the paper to substantially normal width, thereby removing the folds or wrinkles therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE SGHERTTO lVitnesses J. B. HULL, BRENNAN B. /VEST. 

